Politics & Government
Hundreds Attend School Budget Event at Greenfield High
Crowd told to unite within their communities, call their legislators.
Hundreds of parents, teachers, school officials and community members from throughout the area were roused Saturday afternoon by a number of speakers who spoke of the dire consequences local school systems are facing.
School and community leaders presented a bleak picture of Wisconsin’s education system as a result of Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget during the two-hour event held at Greenfield High School. His fiscal plan is expected to cut $834 million for local schools during the next two years.
Although the event, sponsored by the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, was intended to be informative by nature, it was charged at times with galvanizing language toward the crowd and against elected officials in Madison.
“You don’t anger kids' parents by cutting budgets on schools by almost a billion dollars and expect to walk away unscathed,” said Tom Beebe, executive director of WAES. “It’s up to you to scathe them and let them know you are not happy about this.”
The event was started by a small presentation from Jeff Pertl, senior policy advisor at the Office State of State Superintendent at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. He told the crowd that the overall funding formula needs to be reformed. He also energized the crowd by expressing his gratitude of the turnout.
"Democracy is a contact sport. Showing up is the first step. Thanks for showing up for the team," he said.
Greenfield School District Administrator Conrad Farner spent the first half of his speech explaining how local school districts have been put in a tough spot by trying to maintain current programs while dealing with state mandated revenue caps which results in revenues lower than costs. He then shifted gears, speaking to the crowd as a father.
“I’ve got three children in public schools in West Allis and I am worried about their future and their kids' future,” he said. “If we’re only willing to pay so much for education, we have to stop talking about excellence and instead start talking about what the new model is going to look like then.”
Speakers also invigorated the crowd to call their legislators, stay informed and to unite with others in their own communities.
Kelly Herda, a school board member in the Nicolet School District, spoke of a long laundry list of personnel cuts and resource maneuvers that she has had to approve during her six years on the board.
Herda said her school district will face a $900,000 deficit this year, $1.8 million deficit next year and $3.6 million deficit the year after due to increasing costs, the state mandated revenue cap and declining enrollment. These numbers do not include Walker's proposed cuts.
"It's just poor policies and bad math. It’s been passed down from one legislature to the next. Nobody wants to tackle this one," she said. “No school district in the state of Wisconsin is going to be immune from this state-imposed financial stranglehold that is robbing all of our children from their constitutional right to a free and appropriate education.”
Chris Abele, candidate for Milwaukee County Board Executive, told the crowd that if he is elected in April, he promises to head to Madison with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
“We won’t be tepid or lukewarm and say, 'Can we please get some more investment?'” said Abele, who is running against Jeff Stone, a Republican assemblyman from Greendale. “We will pound the tables, stake in the ground, white hot.”